Womens Health and Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Womens Health and Rights - Essay Example Females have the capability of carrying a fetus in their wombs. It is a distinct characteristic of females that males would not be able to replicate. This makes females an important entity in the preservation of mankind. However, with such importance, are females given the same importance with regards to health information and breakthroughs compared to the males? Females are continuously proving to the society that they are just as capable as the male members of the civilization. This is despite the fact that there are differences between the characteristics of the two genders. There are specific distinctions in health needs between males and females. A female’s reproductive system is more complex than that of the male. It is during the adolescence when females experience a number of physical changes. This is the time when females start having their monthly menstruation period. There are certain discomforts that go together with this health condition uniquely present in female bodies. There is neither an excuse nor a medication that can stop this health event from happening. There are sites in the worldwide web that aims to report health information and concerns. One of these sites is WebMD.Com. As the site’s slogan goes, if a person is well-informed on how to take care of their bodies, these people would have better health and will be living a better life. This site does have a specific page for women’s health that addresses women’s needs to be able to gain better knowledge of their physical well-being. It is truly necessary for medical information websites to have pages that would address to women’s health. There are health conditions that need to be addressed especially when they will eventually lead to life threatening ailments. The issues that are being tackled at the site vary from puberty to menopause. Navigating to the page is only a click away from the homepage. It is good that WebMD presents this page exclusively for women’s health. Even men can use this page as a guide in understanding their partners especially when women are undergoing hormonal changes. There are a number of ailments that only a woman can acquire. This goes hand in hand with their ability to get pregnant. Even if this is given information, women’s health is often neglected as men’s health is often the given more attention and focus. It is quite alarming though that the most discussed aspect on the site is related to the reproductive system. Females are smart and can understand information just like as their male counterparts. Health conditions are not always on the good side. When females are faced with serious health problems, lay down the truth and do not sugar-coat the reality. Birth control is one of the aspects that affect the females more than the males. However, this may also be the cause of several reproductive disorders that women acquire during their lifetime. A female needs to intake pills or i nject contraceptives to be able to control hormones that are possible for them to conceive. What are not clearly stated though would be the after effects of these medicines to women who would eventually stop using them and acquire the desire to conceive? Instead of stating artificial birth control methods, to truly protect women’s health, medical sites or institutions should promote natural form of birth control that would not manipulate hormones or genes that might be the cause for infertility and other ailments as their side effects. When a reader does not research further, only the positive effects or the negative effect of the medication can be known which can be considered impartial. If this website would stand for its slogan, the possible negative effects of medications to women at the onset should be

Disability In Sport Adverse Health And Social Care Essay

Disability In Sport Adverse Health And Social Care Essay The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a considerable and long- term adverse effect on their ability to perform every day tasks. (DDA, 2005). Access and inclusion into sport and physical activity is difficult for many people with a disabiltiy therefor changes must be made to ensure that every person wishing to take part can do so. This could be changing the facilities so that access is better for disabled people as well as modifying equipment and training programs so that everybody can access the facilities. There are many schemes in place to help give disabled people the opportunity to participate in sporting activities. The Federation of Disability Sport Wales (FDSW) is a pan-disability National Governing Body of Sport. The aim of the FDSW project is to expand and enforce excellent sporting opportunities for people with disabilities (Disability Sports Wales, 2004). Many studies have been carried out in an increased effort to find connections between disability and physical activity but despite this increased effort problems still remain. Many young disabled people would like to be included in sporting activities and in a study the majority of people surveyed expressed a preference to participate in a sporting environment if it was organised within a disability sports. (EFDS, 2005). Sports for the disabled still remain an understudied area and should be improved greatly if it is to develop. A development for disability in sport is needed because there are people who cannot participate in sport because of reasons beyond their own control. For most disabled people, their disability is not the barrier and therefore more should be done to overcome barriers that could be easily eradicated (Barton, 1989) Many health and social benefits have been linked with a physical lifestyle. This is also true for those individuals who have a disability or long term health condition. Physical activity can not only decrease the danger of secondary health problems but can also improve all levels of functioning (Hidde et al. 2004). The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a considerable and long- term adverse effect on their ability to perform every day tasks. (DDA, 2005). For people with a disability, accessing sporting activities can be difficult as there may not be many facilities to provide for them. Also the sports that they are able to access may not be suitable for them to be included therefore adaptations must be made to the sports to give them the opportunity to participate (Jette, 2003). This should include participation with able bodied participants also. There are schemes which run to organize safe and enjoyable sporting activities for disable people, as well as schemes that look to give access, inclusion and participation in sport for disabled and able bodied people alike (Finch et al, 2001). The Federation of Disability Sport Wales (FDSW) is a pan-disability National Governing Body of Sport. The aim of the FDSW project is to expand and enforce excellent sporting opportunities for disabled people (Disability Sports Wales, 2004) This scheme is set in Wales but there are other schemes that work towards promoting and developing disability sport throughout the UK. This report will look at disability in sport. The main issues that will be looked at are access to take part in sports as well as the inclusion for disability in the sports. With these factors being identified, participation levels for disability in sport will be examined to see what areas of the UK are working towards giving equal opportunities for disabled children and adults. Rimmer et al, (2006) reported that an investigation was carried out into the accessibility of health clubs and leisure centre for disable people. The investigation studied thirty-five health clubs and fitness services in a nationalized field test in which a new piece of equipment was used. The Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments (AIMFREE), was used for measuring the ease of access of fitness amenities in the built environment, the available equipment and swimming pools. In addition the information available to the service users was measured along with the facility guidelines, and the professional behaviour of the staff working within the facilities. All the facilities that the test was carried out on confirmed low to moderate levels of accessibility. Some of the deficiencies showed a cause for concern with the Disability Act guidelines regarding the built setting; other problems related to parts of the facility such as the equipment, information, p olicies, and professional staff (Davies, 2002). Many studies have been carried out in an increased effort to find connections between disability and physical activity but despite this increased effort problems still remain (Fitzgerald, 2008). Hezkiah (2005) stated that young disabled people demonstrated low levels of physical activity and perceptual motor difficulties compared to young people without a disability. This low level of activity and motor learning affects their ability to learn. Major barriers to young disabled people include language conception which is vital for following commands, and physical disabilities, which have an effect on their capability to carry out motor skills (Gatward and Burrell, 2002; Gordon and Williams, 2003). These limits can have an effect on their motivation and add to restricted opportunities for regular involvement in movement, physical activity and sports, which consecutively affects their capability to develop and progress in life. Finch et al (2001) set out to perceive the consequences of the barriers linked with disability and how it affects their levels of exercise. During the study many questions were asked to the participants were and asked to answer for a range of information, and were then asked to specify which physical activities they participate in. The subjects were asked to provide the reasons preventing their contribution to exercise. No clear inclusion or exclusion instructions were given therefore the reasons would be their own personal feelings. Findings of the study have shown that 20% of the participants acknowledged that their disability was one of the barriers preventing them from additional physical activity, with half of the participants expressing it as the most important grounds as to why they do not take part in more physical activities. Current injury or disability was a barrier to physical activity in older people more often than younger participants. Injury or disability was the main difficulty to participate in physical activity for people who are overweight or obese based upon their body mass index (BMI). This reason was stated more frequently than for those who were underweight or standard weight. Another finding during the study suggested that current injury or disability was a major barrier for people who were inactive compared to people with high levels of physical activity. The findings suggested the importance to target the support of physical activity available to overweight and older adults particularly to get them active by giving them access to facilities along with the inclusion to the activities. They go on to identify the problems that can occur with disability. They state that a person would stop exercising because of a disability rather than just becoming overweight and not exercise because of the weight problem. Rimmer et al (2004) recognized a variety of barriers and facilitators that were associated with participation levels in health and leisure programs and amenities amongst persons with disabilities. The results showed that the participants reported 178 barriers and 130 facilitators. The problems identified were barriers and facilitators connected to the built and natural environment along with economic issues. Emotional and psychological barriers were also identified as a problem. The amount of involvement in activities among disabled people is a problem due to a set of barriers and facilitators. Future research could utilize information conducted by Rimmer et al (2004) to develop participation schemes that have a superior probability of accomplishment. A report from the EFDS, (2005) showed that whilst young disabled people valued sport and recreation opportunities, they do not access their chances for physical activity on a regular basis. Disability is not a barrier to participation in sport and leisure. Regardless of rising guidelines and legislation encouraging improved participation in sports and physical exercise by young disabled people, only a restricted quantity of young disabled people do take part in physical activity. Only a small number of young disabled people can access sporting activities and opportunities outside the activities obtainable inside curricular time which includes after-school clubs, community opportunities, and general play. The persons impairment was the most significant factor to be found to have an effect on physical activity involvement. Those with multiple impairments were far less probable to take part than those with a single impairment (Maloney et al, 1993). The most frequent curriculum sports linked with disability and exercise was Athletics, Ball Games, Boccia, Cricket, Football and Swimming. There are many barriers to participation which included access to facilities and equipment. Improvements in facilities and access to equipment would improve access to sports and recreation opportunities (Williams, 2005) In studies, young disabled people have expressed a fondness for taking part in physical activity when participating in a sporting environment particularly if it was organised within a sports club specifically for other people with comparable disabilities. With consideration to the type of activity, results showed that young disabled people would like to join in physical activities that young disabled people already participating in (EFDS, 2005). There are many initiatives set up to give disabled people a chance to take part in sport and physical actvity (Norwich, 2007). The Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) is a proposal that supports the fitness production to develop into a more inclusive plan that can cater for the needs of both disabled and non-disabled people alike. Through a variety of developments, the initiative has maintained facilities across England to produce a comprehensive service which results in increasing participation levels by disabled people. Parasport is a combined proposal set up in a joint initiative invloving the British Paralympic Association (BPA) and the services services firm Deloitte. Their aim is to amplify participation levels in competitive sporting events. Parasport aims to improve the identification of sports people and aims to support them at a community level. They set out to provide bursaries to assist talented and potentially top class athletes through a joint venture with SportsAid. Parasport is ran by the BPA. The BPA is the body responsible for the elite side of disability sport, although the Parasport scheme is availiable for all abilities to take part. Another initiative in place is The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). This scheme is set up in England and aims to help young athletes committed to improving their potenital by sport and education. Currently there are 50 sports eligible for TASS, of which 16 are disability sports. This scheme is open to people aged between 16 and 25, with an upper age limit of 35 for people with a disablity. The scheme can provide a package of sporting activities to athletes and give them the ability to access high quality training facilities. An athletics initiative has been launched in by the Sports Council Wales to encourage more children with disabilities to participate in sport. Combined with the Federation of Disability Sport Wales, athletics sessions have been introduced where children can join in with fun sessions delivered by skilled volunteers from Welsh Athletics. The Disability Sport Wales National Community Development Programme is an initiative set up in conjunction with the Sports Council for Wales, the Federation of Disability Sport Wales and 22 local authorities across Wales. The proposal aims to develop excellent community based sporting and leisure opportunities for disabled people throughout Wales (Hughes, 2009) Arthur and Finch (1999) said that people with a disability might recognise the physical and social benefits resulting from participating in physical activity generally. However, a failure to recognise specific guidelines on the necessary frequency and extent of physical activity in order to achieve such benefits, particularly amongst older people, contributes to low participation levels. External barriers that have resulted in a lack of opportunity to contribute in physical activity among people with a disability have been widely discussed in literature (Arthur and Finch, 1999;; Doll-Tepper, 1999; DePauw and Gavron, 2005). Research has shown a range of issues, which include a lack of confidence. With the opportunity to participate, the confidence would grow and give the people a chance to be active. A Lack of physical and emotional support was also a factor that caused people with a disability not to take part in sport and physical activity. Not having someone to go with to the gym or sporting facility is another barrier (DePauw and Gavron, 2005). According to Arthur and Finch (1999), this poses a greater problem for those people with a disability who need some kind of physical, oral or visual assistance or moral support. Lack of information was a big factor in reasons to why they did not participate in sport. Arthur and Finch (1999) found that a lack of information held by people with a disability led to low awareness of the sorts of possible sporting activities and appropriate sport facilities. According to the English Federation of disability sport (2000), the lack of access to information has worsened. Lockwood and Lockwood (1997) and Doll-Tepper (1999) both said that the subsistence of poorly trained service providers, unsuitable activities and inflexible programmes as areas of particular concern. Both Arthur and Finch (1999) and DePauw and Gavron (1995) raise the issue of a lack of available facilities and say that the blame for this is due to cuts in funding. Arthur and Finch (1999) found that poor physical access at existing facilities could present a barrier to the participation of people with a disability in sporting activities, in terms of the inappropriate design of buildings, lack of aids and adaptations to equipment. Negative attitudes towards disability include those of other facility users. DePauw and Gavron (1995) found that college students held negative and stereotypical attitudes towards the inclusion of individuals with a disability in physical education and sport. Arthur and Finch (1999) found a correlation between the negative and conventional attitudes of other sport centre users. This then produced a lack of confidence and motivation for people with a disability. National statistics show the lowest participation rates for disabled people. They produced a Taking part and active people survey which showed that 8.8 9.5% disabled adults participated in regular moderate activity (Sport England, 2006; DCMS, 2007). It also found that 44% of disabled young people did not take part in regular physical activity (Sport England, 2001) Research has shown that disabled young people do participate in sport both in and out of school (Finch et al, 2001). However, both the overall rate of participation and the frequency with which disabled young people take part in sport is lower than for young people in general. There are also important differences between participation in school compared with out of school participation. In school young disabled people participated in sport more frequently than they did out of school. However, this pattern was the reverse for all young people (Corneliben and Pfeifer, 2007) An initiative set up in Ireland is called Disability Sport Donegal. This scheme aims to give children an opportunity to participate in sporting activities. They aim to offer a wide range of activities that include Boccia and martial arts. They develop the programme for inclusion into sports for disabled people. They also look to form a relationship with local schools to include children in sporting activities. With the inclusion within schools they can then develop programmes out side of school and give opportunities to disabled children and adults to take part in sports clubs that provide the safe, fun environment and facilities that are needed to give a wider range of activities to disabled people (Donegal Sports 2007) Research has shown that many people with a disability do not take part in sport because they dont have access to the facilities or equipment they needed (Paciorek and Jones, 2001). In addition travel was shown to be a barrier as they were unable to get to and from any accessible venues. Lack of information was a problem for the many of the participants and parents because they were unaware of facilities or clubs offering activities for disability. Organisations were identified during the questioning, including Viva project and RCT Tigers. Viva is a registered Charity that was established in November 1992 to work with young people with a disability aged between 11 and 25 with who live in Rhondda Cynon Taff. The ethos of the Viva project is to facilitate and support all the youth service members to become fully involved in community activities. Viva believes that this ethos can encourage young people to develop better liberty and make more choices for themselves. The main aim of Viva is to challenge their service members to raise their ambitions while they broaden their experiences and abilities. They try to give confidence to the members to develop greater independence and make more knowledgeable choices for themselves. At the same time they aim to elevate community awareness in accepting disabled people as valued members of the community (Sports Council Wales, 2006) Vivas aim is to create equal and respected relationships between disabled young people and their non disabled peers. They look for disabled young people to participate in active community amenities, which they may have been conventionally excluded from because of the stigma and separation that is related with disability. Viva believe that by giving young people the same chances as their peers, people can learn and work together to meet the challenges we face in life. RCT Tigers FC is a pan disability football club for young children in the Rhondda Cynon Taff Area which was set up in January 2008. It was founded to improve opportunities for disability sports in Rhondda Cynon Taff. With these organisations set up it is important that extra work is conducted to make them successful. It is imperative because without these organisations people with a disability would not be able to take part in any sport or physical activity. It is also important to develop new initiatives as well as making the existing organisations more accessible by better information and promotion. With the development of initiatives, disability in sport can develop and give opportunity to people where participation would be difficult and inaccessible (Yuen et al, 2007). In conclusion I feel that physical activity and sports participation can improve a disabled persons health and well-being. Regular exercise and inclusion in sports by disabled people is as important as it is for their active counterparts. Professionals working with people with disabilities should enthusiastically encourage participation in sports and recreation activities. The relationship of sports for the disabled is difficult. Sports are a rehabilitating tool for integration into society and a way for them to remain active. In addition, sports and disability as portrayed by the media often still broadcast existing stereotypes that erect social barriers for the disabled, in the area of social perception (Barton, 2001) Sports for the disabled still remain an understudied area and should be improved greatly if it is to develop. A development for disability in sport is needed because there are people who cannot participate in sport because of reasons beyond their own control. For most disabled people, their disability is not the barrier and therefore more should be done to overcome barriers that could be easily eradicated (Barton, 1989)

Computer-Based Training :: Work Job Technology Essays

Computer-Based Training Definition and Descriptions of Computer-Based Training Workers, new or experienced, are constantly needing some kind of education or a new way of doing something in their system. The training usually needs to be done at a convenient time, and in a cost effective and timely manner. This is where computer-based training comes into play. Computer-based training or CBT has been described as a "method that supports and strengthens adult learning†¦ that fosters flexible, self-directed learning techniques" (Sandler, 1998). While working at their own pace, the learners can experience the progress that they are making, while answering the questions at attention level that is suitable to learn the material (Lawson, 1999). Lawson (1999) describes CBT training as the computer is "the trainer" that uses multimedia such as text, video, audio, graphics, and animation. In fact, the computer is said to be the main "powerful and effective tool†¦that can be used, as learning reinforces", and that is used in the CBT world (Blankenhorn, 1999). At this point, the computer, as the technology, and training go synonymously together. Also, both the methods with the computer hardware and software are constantly changing (Forster, 1998). Lawson (1999) also mentions that the CBT can provide different kinds of training for various jobs. People from marketing and sales to manufactures and industrial workers are using CBTs (Sandler, 1998). With CBT, a person in a job, that is offering the CBT training, can do the training when he or she has the time without causing a problem for the company or themselves (Couret, 1999). Computer-based training can be characterized as an information "training system that incorporates a needs assessment on the students, lesson objectives and plans, development of the program, and evaluation and feedback" (Janicak, 1999). These features will be discussed further. CBT has been compared to the traditional approach of training, and there are many features and processes that are different, which will both be discussed. Also, the concerns and positive effects of CBT will be explained. Comparisons of Computer-Based Training and Traditional Training CBT and classroom or traditional training methods are the two main types of training that is compared in most of the literature. Recently studies have shown that CBT is as effective, if not more effective than traditional training. Traditional training can also be called live instruction (Blankenhorn, 1999).

World Trade Organization Changing Global Economy

Global trading has been a part of the world since the 1940s. As trade between countries began to grow so did the need for some sort of international commerce. In 1948, the International Trade Organization (ITO) was established, but fell through and triggered the creation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). GATT was created through several negotiations, known as rounds. For many years, GATT's policies held strong and offered many countries the international support they needed to remain prosperous in global trade. Though, as time went on, certain trade policies established by GATT were being undermined by countries in order for them to continue conducting business. GATT's rules and regulations were becoming obsolete in the rapid changing global economy. â€Å"By the early 1980s the General Agreement was clearly no longer relevant to the realities of world trade as it had been in the 1940s. For a start, world trade had become far more complex and important than 40 years before: the globalization of the world economy was underway, trade in services – not covered by GATT rules – was of major interest to more and more countries, and international investment had expanded† (World Wide Web. http://www. wto. org/wtoabout/facts1. htm). The eighth round (Uruguay Round 1986-1994) was the most recent and thorough of them all. The Uruguay Round had 125 countries participating, it is the largest trade negotiation to ever take place. Though this round was expected to fail from the start, it actually started some of the largest trade reforms since GATT and WWII. This round, lasting some 7 1/2 years, established the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a new set of agreements. The World Trade Organization was enacted on January 1, 1995. There are three main purposes of the WTO stated in the WTO web site. These three main goals are to help trade flow as freely as possible, serve as a forum for trade negotiations, and deal with dispute settlements. How the WTO remains so effective is by setting up universal guidelines for members to follow and enforcing them. One of the most important changes made in WTO, is the addition of the trade rules regarding trade in intellectual property and services, as well as, products. The WTO site is currently discussing many articles. There are a few which strike my interest such as the EC and U. S. banana dispute which we had previously discussed in class, the increase of WTO members to 134, and the intellectual property proposal concerning the US and Japanese idea for a multilateral system and registering geographical locations. There is an article on low income developing countries in the GATT/WTO framework, which is planning on discussing special provisions that should be offered to these under-developed and developing countries, which were involved in the Uruguay Round Agreements. â€Å"Developing Countries comprise the majority of the membership of the World Trade Organization. On the other hand, the European Communities, the United States, and other industrialized countries enjoy the greatest shares of international trade† (World Wide Web. ttp://www. wto. org/). The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) is the â€Å"law† of the WTO. It is the body in the WTO that analyzes the trade policies and interprets the rules regarding them. Two of the three sites we were advised to use on this paper were not accessible, so I just improvised and used Internet sites that had similar information on them. One of the articles I found on worker's rights was very informative. It discussed the U. S. Secretary of Labor, Alexis Herman, and the ties of core labor standards. Last June, a declaration was announced in Geneva by the International Trade Organization (ILO). The International Labor Conference, held by ILO members, adopted this declaration with intentions of creating a stronger protection on core rights of workers, and holding each country accountable for this protection. On May 18, President Clinton Made a speech stating that the ILO and WTO need to maintain a working relationship in order to advance the global trading system while protecting the worker's basic rights. This is a big step forward for the ILO and its members as we enter the 21st Century. With the passage of this Declaration, the ILO has underlined and clarified the importance of the fundamental rights of workers in an era of economic globalization† (Statement by Secretary Herman). Some of the current trade disputes discussed in the WTO are the disputes going on about the bananas between the United States and the European Communities. This dispute is actually being talked about this week in the Wall Street Journal. Both sides are frustrated. The U. S. is because they feel the EU has unfairly made loop holes in WTO guidelines, and the EU is upset because they say the U. S. is trying to control too much of their rights as global traders. The U. S. has stated that the EU has been purposly avoiding banana purchases in Latin America, and doing business in areas like Africa, where Europe has many ties. The WTO has the responsibility to work on a plan that will hopefully satisfy both parties to some degree, but the U. S. as strong opinions of implementing 520 million dollars worth of tariffs on EU imports into our country. Another dispute that is taking place is the Korean acoholic beverage tax. This is a matter the WTO is also trying to fix. The U. S. and EC don't agree with the tax that Korea is implementing on their imported alcoholic beverages. Again, the WTO pages website is inactive so I found some information in another forum about certain issue which are being reviewed. One of the hottest items right now seems to be assistance for low-income developing countries. Many changes are taking place for developing countries, and the way they are conducting their international business. For one, they are aborting many of their uses of tariffs on infant companies to try and support growth. Secondly, they are altering their management to make themselves more attractive to foreign investment, which in turn will increase foreign direct investment and help create more supportive trade balances. These developing nations are strongly advised to take part in the WTO, so they can reap the benefits it has to offer. The WTO, with its multilateral trade view, simply allows smaller economic powers to be more fairly involved in world trade without being victimized and taken advantage of by stronger economic powers in the old bilateral style of global trading. In the 21st Century global trading will be more fine-tuned than it is right now. We should see the elimination of tariffs, subsidies, quotas, etc. The world should be working like a large country, with open markets in every nation. Comparative advantage will establish itself, and trade balances will be less drastic. Under-developed and developing countries will become developed. In my View, I think that in the 21st Century, the world will operate as one large entity in the aspects of economic markets. Though, the creation of the WTO brought many great new ideas and helped closer unite the world into one huge market, there are still bugs that need to be worked out, and as time goes on, we will see need for more changes and adjustments. A few of the areas that the WTO needs to rectify and further develop now are areas such as worker's rights, environmentalism, and foreign direct investment.

Culture of Jamaica

The first settlers of Jamaica called the land â€Å"Xaymaca† which means â€Å"Land of springs† (Pillai, 2013). It is said that this is where the name of the country came from. Jamaica is known for many things like its beaches, wildlife, and reggae music. Jamaica has a mix of people from different races, religions, and countries so its culture is varied. Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica in 1494, but people have in habited the island for thousands of years before.The Arawaks and Tainos are said to be the first ribes to settle on the island, between 4000 B. C. AND 1000 B. C. (Pillai, 2013). From 1494 to 1655, Jamaica was a Spanish colony. It was a British colony from 1655 to 1962. Jamaica was granted a new constitution in 1944 and gained universal suffrage. The country gained independence August 6, 1962 (Purcell, 2013). The population of Jamaica is 2,909,714 (FindTheData, 2013). 16. 5% of the population lives below the poverty line. Africans make up most of the Jam aican population. After Africans, many of the Jamaicans are multiracial and from Indian or Chinese decent (Pillai, 2013).English is the official language of Jamaica (Purcell, 2013). Jamaican Patois is the de facto national language of Jamaica, which is a Creole language (Pillai, 2013). It is the most commonly spoken language in the country. Many religions are practiced in Jamaica. Tainos, the first settlers, worshipped forces of nature like plants and animals. They believed in the God Yucahu and Goddess Atabey. They also worshipped good and evil spirits to prevent natural disasters (Pillai, 2013). Christianity made its way to the island with the colonizers. About 80% of Jamaicans are Christians.Rastafari developed in the 1920s in Jamaica. It is a â€Å"blend of Old Testament Christian faith, mystic beliefs, and African fundamentalist ideology. † The Rastas keep their hair long in dreadlocks, reject western society, and use marijuana spiritually (Pillai, 2013). Jamaicans have certain traditions and beliefs. A common birth rite is to bury the umbilical cord of a newborn baby, and usually a tree is planted over it, signifying that they are always connected to their birth place. Funerals are an important ritual to the Jamaicans. A big funeral is a sign ofa good life (Purcell, 2013).Nine Night is a Jamaican ceremony or funeral where friends and family sing, dance, and drink for eight nights then sing farewell songs on the ninth night. They rearrange the room of the deceased so their spirit will not recognize it and return. A last meal is set out under the silk-cotton tree, a hiding place for the spirits, for the diseased spirit (Pillai, 2013). Jamaican weddings are big, lavish, and family-oriented. Both families of the bride and groom meet before the wedding and friends start sending gifts like eggs for the cake (Pillai, 2013). Jamaican foods are usually hot and spicy.Their strong spices and herbs make heir dishes popular around the world. The national dish is the Ackee and Saltflsh. Spicy Jerk pork and Jerk chicken are very popular Jamaican cuisines. The national drink is Jamaican rum (Pillai, 2013). Rice is a ceremonial food. Curried goat meat is the main meal at parties, weddings, and tunerals (Purcell, 2 Jamaican attire is a combination of European and African style. Jamaican women wear brightly colored outfits of a skirt, top, and headscarf. Men wear brightly colored western-style clothes with short sleeves. Due to the humid weather, Jamaicans don't wear heavy clothing; they prefer cotton clothing.Rastafarians wear clothes made of natural fibers. These clothes are always in their sacred colors of red, yellow, and green. â€Å"According to the Rastafarians, Red signifies the blood of the black people, Yellow stands for the gold that was stolen from Africa, and Green symbolizes the lost African lands† (Pillai, 2013). The also wear a tam or hat to go over their dreadlocks. The official currency of Jamaica is the Jamaican dolla r (FindTheData, 2013). Manufacturing and services are the main sources of economy. Service includes tourism, which is a great contributor to the economy.Jamaica's main trade allies are the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Caribbean Economic Community. Major imports are consumer goods, construction hardware, electrical and telecommunication equipment, food, fuel, machinery, and transportation equipment. Jamaica's major exports are bauxite and alumina, apparel, sugar, bananas, coffee, citrus and citrus products, rum, cocoa, and labor (Purcell, 2013). Jamaica's gross domestic product (GDP) is $25,620,000,000. Their GDP per capita is $8,900, which is also the world average. Jamaica has a high inflation rate of 6. 9%.They also have a high unemployment rate of 14% (FindTheData, 2013). The country is in a bad economic situation. Jamaica has a bicameral parliamentary legislative system. They are a member of the British Commonwealth. The British monarch, the governor genera l, the prime minister and deputy prime minister, and the cabinet make up the executive branch. The Senate and the sixty members elected to the House of Representatives make up the legislative branch. The Judicial branch is the Supreme Court and lower courts. The main political parties are the People's National Party and the Jamaica Labor Party Purcell, 2013).Sociologists would need to know about Jamaican custom to know what not to say or do around Jamaicans to not offend them. They would need to know some of Jamaican history which would let them know that there was much slavery and oppression during the colonial period. Jamaicans might get offended if this subject is brought up in the wrong manner. It would be wise for sociologists to know that the Jamaican Patois language is a symbol of defiance from European cultural authority (Purcell, 2013). Their Jamaican identity is very important to them. Their identity ncludes many things like their religion traditions and customs.

Definition and Examples of Replacives in English

Definition and Examples of Replacives in English In  English grammar and morphology, a replacive is a word element that substitutes for another element within a stem. For example, the e in men (the plural form of man) is considered a replacive element. Replacives are  considered to be allomorphs, notes  Philip Orazio Tartaglia. More specifically, the replacive involved in going from goose to geese is an allomorph of the plural morpheme. Thus, we see that boys, cats, roses, oxen, sheep, and geese, all contain the plural morpheme though each contains a  different allomorph of the plural morpheme (Problems in the Construction of a Theory of Natural Language).   Examples and Observations The term [replacive] is particularly used in the label replacive morph or replacive morpheme to enable irregular forms such as men from man and sang or sung from sing to be described in morphemic terms, despite falling outside the straightforward rules for forming noun plurals or past verb forms by the addition of inflections.(Sylvia Chalker and Edmund Weiner, Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 1994)Tooth and Teeth: One Word or Two?-  [A] synthetic, tooth-colored material the consistency of dough is chemically fused onto stained, chipped, widely spaced, or misshapen teeth and molded into whatever new shape is desired.(Justine De Lacy, The New Skin of Your Teeth. New York, August 3, 1981)- Consider then the sentences This tooth needs attention and These teeth need attention. Are tooth and teeth instances of the same word or of different words? In one sense they are clearly different: they differ in pronunciation, spelling, meaning and in their grammatical behaviour. In another sense, however, they are manifestations of a single element, and indeed they are traditionally said to be forms of the same word. We thus have two distinct concepts here, the second more abstract than the first: I will use word in the less abstract sense and introduce the term lexeme for the more abstract one. Thus I will say that tooth and teeth are different words, but forms of the same lexeme. . . .More precisely, we will say that tooth and teeth are different inflectional forms of tooth, and will speak of singular and plural here as inflectional properties. Similarly with verbs: sang and sung, for example, are respectively the past tense and the past participle forms of the lexeme sing.(Rodney Huddleston, English Grammar: An Outline. Cambridge University Press, 1988) Verbs Derived From Nouns[W]e treat noun plurals in English such as men, feet, mice, teeth as occurring with replacives (i.e. replacements which are morphemic). . . . Replacive morphemes . . . may consist of segmental or suprasegmental phonemes . . .. A rather rarer type of replacement is represented by the English series bath : bathe, sheath : sheathe, wreath : wreathe, teeth : teethe, safe : save, strife : strive, thief : thieve, grief : grieve, half : halve, shelf : shelve, serf : serve, advice : advise, house /haws/ : house /hawz/, etc. In each pair, the noun has a voiceless continuant, the verb a voiced continuant. If we agree to derive the verbs from the nouns, we set up three replacive elements . . .; but since these three elements exhibit a phonetic-semantic resemblance to each other, and since their occurrence is phonologically conditioned, we combine them into a single replacive morpheme.(Eugene A. Nida, The Identification of Morphemes. Morphology: Critical Concepts in Lingu istics, ed. by Francis Katamba. Routledge, 2004)

The 300 Million Year History of Amphibian Evolution

The 300 Million Year History of Amphibian Evolution Heres the strange thing about amphibian evolution: You wouldnt know it from the small and rapidly dwindling population of frogs, toads, and salamanders alive today, but for tens of millions of years spanning the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods, amphibians were the dominant land animals on Earth. Some of these ancient creatures achieved crocodile-like sizes, up to 15 feet long (which may not seem so big today but was positively huge 300 million years ago) and terrorized smaller animals as the apex predators of their swampy ecosystems. Before going further, its helpful to define what the word amphibian means. Amphibians differ from other vertebrates in three main ways: First, newborn hatchlings live underwater and breathe via gills, which then disappear as the juvenile undergoes a metamorphosis into its adult, air-breathing form. Juveniles and adults can look very different, as in the case of tadpoles and full-grown frogs. Second, adult amphibians lay their eggs in water, which significantly limits their mobility when colonizing the land. And third, the skin of modern amphibians tends to be slimy rather than reptile-scaly, which allows for the additional transport of oxygen for respiration. The First Amphibians As is often the case in evolutionary history, its impossible to pinpoint the exact moment when the first tetrapods, the four-legged fish that crawled out of the shallow seas 400 million years ago and swallowed gulps of air with primitive lungs, turned into the first true amphibians. In fact, until recently, it was fashionable to describe these tetrapods as amphibians, until it occurred to experts that most tetrapods didnt share the full spectrum of amphibian characteristics. For example, three important genera of the early Carboniferous period- Eucritta, Crassigyrinus, and Greererpeton- can be variously described as either tetrapods or amphibians, depending on which features are being considered. Its only in the late Carboniferous period, from about 310 to 300 million years ago, that we can comfortably refer to the first true amphibians. By this time, some genera had attained relatively monstrous sizes- a good example being Eogyrinus (dawn tadpole), a slender, crocodile-like creature that measured 15 feet from head to tail. Interestingly, the skin of Eogyrinus was scaly rather than moist, evidence that the earliest amphibians needed to protect themselves from dehydration. Another late Carboniferous/early Permian genus, Eryops, was much shorter than Eogyrinus but more sturdily built, with massive, tooth-studded jaws and strong legs. At this point, its worth noting a rather frustrating fact about amphibian evolution: Modern amphibians, which are technically known as lissamphibians, are only remotely related to these early monsters. Lissamphibians, which include frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and rare earthworm-like amphibians called caecilians, are believed to have radiated from a common ancestor that lived in the middle Permian or early Triassic periods, and its unclear what relationship this common ancestor may have had to late Carboniferous amphibians like Eryops and Eogyrinus. Its possible that modern lissamphibians branched off from the late Carboniferous Amphibamus, but not everyone subscribes to this theory. Prehistoric Amphibians: Lepospondyls and Temnospondyls As a general rule, the amphibians of the Carboniferous and Permian periods can be divided into two camps: small and weird-looking (lepospondyls), and big and reptilelike (temnospondyls). The lepospondyls were mostly aquatic or semiaquatic, and more likely to have the slimy skin characteristic of modern amphibians. Some of these creatures (such as Ophiderpeton and Phlegethontia) resembled small snakes; others, like Microbrachis, were reminiscent of salamanders, and some were simply unclassifiable. A good example of the last is Diplocaulus: This three-foot-long lepospondyl had a huge, boomerang-shaped skull, which might have functioned as an undersea rudder. Dinosaur enthusiasts should find the temnospondyls easier to swallow. These amphibians anticipated the classic reptilian body plan of the Mesozoic Era: long trunks, stubby legs, big heads, and in some cases scaly skin, and many of them (like Metoposaurus and Prionosuchus) resembled large crocodiles. Probably the most infamous of the temnospondyl amphibians was the impressively named Mastodonsaurus; the name means nipple-toothed lizard and has nothing to do with the elephant ancestor. Mastodonsaurus had an almost comically oversized head that accounted for nearly a third of its 20-foot-long body. For a good portion of the Permian period, the temnospondyl amphibians were the top predators of the Earths landmasses. That all changed with the evolution of the therapsids (mammal-like reptiles) toward the end of the Permian period. These large, nimble carnivores chased the temnospondyls back into the swamps, where most of them slowly died out by the beginning of the Triassic period. There were a few scattered survivors, though: For example, the 15-foot-long Koolasuchus thrived in Australia in the middle Cretaceous period, about a hundred million years after its temnospondyl cousins of the northern hemisphere had gone extinct. Introducing Frogs and Salamanders As stated above, modern amphibians (lissamphibians) branched off from a common ancestor that lived anywhere from the middle Permian to the early Triassic periods. Since the evolution of this group is a matter of continuing study and debate, the best we can do is to identify the earliest true frogs and salamanders, with the caveat that future fossil discoveries may push the clock back even further. Some experts claim that the late Permian Gerobatrachus, also known as the frogamander, was ancestral to these two groups, but the verdict is mixed. As far as prehistoric frogs are concerned, the best current candidate is Triadobatrachus, or triple frog, which lived about 250 million years ago, during the early Triassic period. Triadobatrachus differed from modern frogs in some important ways: For example, it had a tail, the better to accommodate its unusually large number of vertebrae, and it could only flail its hind legs rather than use them to execute long-distance jumps. But its resemblance to modern frogs is unmistakable. The earliest known true frog was the tiny Vieraella of early Jurassic South America, while the first true salamander is believed to have been Karaurus, a tiny, slimy, big-headed amphibian that lived in late Jurassic central Asia. Ironically- considering that they evolved over 300 million years ago and have survived, with various waxings and wanings, into modern times- amphibians are among the most threatened creatures on the Earth today. Over the last few decades, a startling number of frog, toad, and salamander species have spiraled toward extinction, though no one knows exactly why. The culprits may include pollution, global warming, deforestation, disease, or a combination of these and other factors. If current trends persist, amphibians may be the first major classification of vertebrates to disappear off the face of the Earth.

3 Common Errors When Using Numbers

3 Common Errors When Using Numbers 3 Common Errors When Using Numbers 3 Common Errors When Using Numbers By Mark Nichol References to numbers, spelled out or in numeral form, often include erroneous use of hyphens or dashes, as shown in the following examples. Errors are explained and corrected in the discussion and revision that follows each sentence. 1. The US men’s basketball team won seven Olympic gold medals between 1936–68. A dash (not a hyphen) that connects two numbers to represent a range functions as a replacement for from and to, so do not include from before a number range separated by a dash. Between, likewise, should not be paired with a number range, but in this case, retain the word, pairing it with and in place of the dash: â€Å"The US men’s basketball team won seven Olympic gold medals between 1936 and 1968.† (â€Å"The US men’s basketball team won seven Olympic gold medals 1936–68† is not syntactically valid.) 2. Fourteen and fifteen-year-old kids are easily impressionable. When two hyphenated phrasal adjectives are identical except for the first term, the rest of the first phrasal adjective after that term can be elided, with the implication that the balance of the second phrasal adjective serves both of the initial words. However, to signal this sharing, retain the hyphen after the first element: â€Å"Fourteen- and fifteen-year-old kids are easily impressionable.† (Otherwise, the implication is that fourteen kids are easily impressionable, and so are fifteen-year-old kids.) 3. The rockslide occurred when a massive slab measuring fifty-by-eighty-by-fifteen feet broke off from a sheer cliff and went flying down the mountain. When a phrase consisting of two or more numbers separated by by describes the surface area or volume of an object, omit hyphens unless the entire phrase modifies a noun: â€Å"The rockslide occurred when a massive slab measuring fifty by eighty by fifteen feet broke off from a sheer cliff and went flying down the mountain.† (Compare â€Å"The fifty-by-eighty-by-fifteen-foot slab broke off from a sheer cliff and went flying down the mountain.†) The same rule applies when numerals represent the numbers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidDriver License vs. Driver’s LicenseWhat Is a Doctor?

Most and Least Favorable Approaches Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Most and Least Favorable Approaches - Assignment Example Nevertheless, to facilitate resolution of these issues, there is a need to have preparedness for dealing with conflicts, thereby establishing a statement of strategic issue that entail three elements. The issue identified is expected to give a concise description with a single paragraph, and the issue should be framed and addressed by the organization. However, there are situation when an organization lack the ability to address the question; thus, it ought to limit attention on the issues that cannot be resolved to avoid wastage of time. The element involves listing the factors that are basic policy questions. In this situation, the objectives, principles, opportunities, strengths and weaknesses of the organization are made strategic issues. Furthermore, these issues are listed, after which they apply in the following stage of strategy identification. The last stage involves a planning team, which is expected to make indications of the implication of not addressing the strategic issues. This involves a review of the consequences in order to inform judgments and various issues (Taylor, 1984). In this case, steps of identifying strategic issues in an organization are substantial t o facilitate survival and success of the organization and offering substantial advice on ways to achieve these objectives. Preferred approach of identifying strategic issues is a direct approach, which requires the strategic planners to focus on outlook of charges and objectives organization. The strategic planners are expected to conduct a SWOT analysis in order to identify the strategic issues that are compatible with the public and government agencies (Bryson & Delbecq, 1979). This approach is best applied in the absence of an agreement on goals. Direct approaches of identifying the strategic issues are useful in situations without pre-existing vision of achieving set objectives. It can also apply when there are no impositions of goals by hierarchical

Rare Genetic Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rare Genetic Disease - Essay Example The significance of this article lies in its assertion to establish a link between molecular biology and medical outcome. This claim is partially validated by the result of the research however, since the article is limited only on how the molecular make-up of an individual (represented by a laboratory model, in the research) is contaminated by progerin. It would have been more credible had the writer included researches done in clinical setting as well. At this point it is worth mentioning that such article is easily accessible by the general public. Hence, fundamentals such as 1) history, 2) special features of children that have been affected by progeria, 3) diagnosis 4) how progeria affects aging, and 5) drug/s or medication that might have been tested to cure or retard the effect of progeria should have been briefly discussed.. Furthermore, A better understanding of the causes of this syndrome (Progeria) could lead to better insights into the mechanisms of both development and a ging. Furthermore, the article emphasized that the cause of HGPS was identified in 2003,2 but failed to mention that progeria syndrome took its root as early as 1886 when Dr. Jonathan Hutchinson first described the disease.3 Certainly there are more studies available that might have served as a foundation to this article. One of those considered an authority in the study of HGPS is the Progeria Research Foundation (PRF). Following are some of the results from studies conducted by PRF. About one in four to eight million newborns (both sexes) have been affected by Progeria. Children around the globe including Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Cuba, England, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, South Africa, South America, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, the US, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yugoslavia have been affected by the disease. Signs of progeria-affected newborns include growth failure, loss of body fat and hair, aged-looking skin, stiffness of joints, hip dislocation, generalized atherosclerosis, cardiovascular (heart) disease and stroke. The children have a remarkably similar appearance, despite differing ethnic backgrounds. Children with Progeria die of atherosclerosis (heart disease) at an average age of thirteen years (with a range of about 8 - 21 years). They suffer from the same strokes and heart attacks that affect millions of aging people throughout the world. But heart disease in progeria is fast, and they can get strokes as early as (four) years old.4 These and other studies aimed at discovering the cure and effective treatment for Progeria and its aging related disorders should have been cited in this article to clarify and support its contention. References: 1 Rare genetic disease (03 March2008). E-Lab. Accessed on 02 April 2008 from http://www.scientistlive.com/lab//Biotechnology/2008/03/03/19907/Rare_genetic_disease 2 Ibid. 3 Gordon, Leslie B (Summer 2007). Progeria: Growing Old Too Fast. Your World -- A Biotechnology Magazine, 16 (2), 3-5. Retrieved 02 April 2008 from 4 Progeriaresearch.Org, c 2006. Progeria 101 Fact.The Progeria Resear

Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scenario - Essay Example Nowadays, the sight of different non-governmental organizations actively participating in the community is a normal scenario. They become active members of the community as a means of generating change. The government, on the other hand, has its own plans on eliminating the different quandaries faced by the community. This is a way of fostering social responsibility. However, with the rise of individualism, man, who is a social being, diverts from the calling of his fellowmen. Thus, social responsibility is now in question. The clich statement, "no man is an island", greatly describes the need of man for others. Man is significantly affected by others' thoughts, feelings and behaviors whether or not others are present. It simply indicates that man is prone to social influence and can be manipulated by social situations. Therefore, man cannot separate himself from others since every thought, feeling, and action elicited by others, has a large impact on his very existence. The community is dealing with different predicaments, from poverty, political issues, diminishing values etc. The government acts as its chief protector against these problems. Poverty, which is said to be mostly the root cause of other problems, is dealt by the government by aiding the poor children in public schools with free breakfast.

Property law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Property law - Case Study Example Thus, so long as the disseisor physically possess the land, and gained entry into the land without the permission of the owner, and has been using the land appropriately according to its resources and location, and also fulfilling the statutory duties regarding the property such as paying taxes, rates and rent for a reasonable period of time, then the disseisor has the right to the ownership of the property, without compensation to the rightful owner (Martin, 102). In this case, as the legal attorney, I would advise Barney to give up claims on the property as a legal advice, since the 2o years settled by Ernest on the land, and the consequent use and development allows him the right of ownership, under the concept of adverse possession, and tell him that God will reward him otherwise, as a spiritual advice, since his action would amount to helping others, which is a fundamental spiritual principle. The second issue regarding the move by the authorities to take over the beach house ow ned by Barney for the sake of developing the property as the â€Å"Future home of the Nickelodeon Family Resort†, can be pitched on the legal concept of Eminent Domain. ... y the authorities can then be developed for public utilities or economic generation projects, as long as the projects are undertaken to meet the public interest such as employment, providing basic services or availing a rare service to the region where the property is being has been taken over. Under the concept of Eminent Domain, the law provides that the rightful owner of the property that has been taken over by the state or other government agencies should be granted a just value compensation (Paul, 47). The law interprets just value to mean the prevailing fair market value. Therefore, considering the fact that the property owned by Barney is being taken over by the relevant government authorities in the best interest of the public, such as to create employment opportunities, then, the course is justifiable, under the legal concept of Eminent Domain. Therefore, as the attorney advising Barney on legal matters, I would recommend that he receives the due compensation being offered a s per the fair market value. Additionally, on the spiritual perspective, it would also be in line with the spiritual principle of sharing what an individual has with others, since the property will be applied in a way that would benefit many through service provision and employment creation. Therefore, it would be spiritually correct for Barney to allow the take-over of the property. On the third issue where Barney’s vehicle was stolen by Carl and then sold to a car dealer, the circumstances can be drawn from the legal concept of Good Faith Purchasers for Value. This concept defines a Good Faith Purchaser for Value, as an individual or party that purchases a property from another party, and gives value in exchange of that asset, without the due knowledge of adverse claims to that asset

Accounting & Finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting & Finance - Research Paper Example Question 2 The following is a list of the assets and liabilities of a firm at a particular date. Â £ Premises owned by the firm 20,000 Money owed by the firm to its creditors 3,000 Stock owned by the firm 8,500 Loan received by the firm from a bank 100 The firm's capital at that date is: A. Â £25,400 B. Â £25,600 C. Â £31,400 D. Â £31,600 ... Lists all of the entries in its double-entry accounting records. Is a list of all of the balances brought down in its double-entry accounting records. Question 9 If a sole trader's capital at the beginning of a year was 100,000 and his net profit for the year was 20,000, his capital at the end of the year...... Question 9 answers Cannot be determined from the information given. was 80,000 Was 100,000 Was 120,000 Question 10 A balance sheet is....... Question 10 answers A ledger account, proving that the accounting records 'balance'. A statement showing the market value of firm. A listing, in a particular format, of the balances brought down remaining in the double-entry accounts after the profit and loss account has been prepared. A statement showing the market value of assets and liabilites. Question 11 The following information relates to a sole trader. Total of all assets at 1 June 2,300 Total of all liabilities at 1 June 2,500 Net profit earned during June 1,000 Drawings during June 700 Capital introduced during June 5,000 The sole trader's capital at 30 June was: Question 11 answers 5,100 5,300 5,500 5,600 Question 12 The correct heading for the balance sheet of J. Burton at the end of December 2006 is 'Balance sheet of J. Burton........ Question 12 answers for the period ended 31 December 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2006 as at 31 December 2006 as at 31 December 2005 Question 13 Which

Simmons Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Simmons Case Study - Essay Example Other than one of it's plants, they were all run military style, turnover was high and it appeared to no one was very happy to be coming to work and even more important the managers had no sense of responsibility for their staff other then to drive them in their jobs. The economy had turned sour after 911 and their competitors were beginning to do somewhat better. To top it all, they had lost good contact with customers and with suppliers and had just instituted a bad set of foam that made their mattresses smell bad. In this atmosphere, their CEO wanted to institute a training program that was very expensive and very innovative. When money is tight, it is most difficult to think about pushing forward into something new, especially if you are at the helm, the CEO. On the average, during a recession the employees are at their lowest moral and the worth of an excellent leader becomes more important than ever. According to Leb (2009), there are many things that the leader must be able to do and certainly the ability to do and one of those is to inspire those who are employed by him. In support of innovation during hard times is a survey done by Bloomberg Business Week (2009), in which they surveyed CEO's that had put in place new and innovative programs during hard times in the economy and in their companies. ... It is easy for the leadership of an organization to throw up their hands, similar to the employees, and say "there is just nothing we can do right now" and ride it out. The biggest problem with that kind of attitude is the fact that someone will pull out of head while you are waiting. In evaluating whether this should happen, a couple of things came to mind. Simmons believes in CHOICES which is the caring, history, opportunity, innovation, customers, empowerment, and support. The culture of the company does not provide for this belief. Only one plant in the several has managed to accomplish this kind of atmosphere, therefore, they need to change their values and cultural beliefs or the way they do things. The other is ethical beliefs of fairness, respect, integrity, and fostering growth and development in others. Under the present organizations culture, none of these things are happening at the level of the employees as the present managerial group continues to run the company like a dictatorship and employees are generally very unhappy (Casciaro & Edmondson, 2007). The main objectives of GGOL were to help people understand what their full potential at work might be. Their philosophy was that "profitable organizational growth is a result of satisfied and loyal customers; a committed, cooperative, and creative organizational culture; and a leadership team that empowers and serves the workforce." After seeing the video, it became obvious that this is built from the individual up, not the other way. Employees must understand where they fit in and how to interact without fear and with trust, in order to improve the processes that would lead to

Accounting & Finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting & Finance - Research Paper Example Question 2 The following is a list of the assets and liabilities of a firm at a particular date. Â £ Premises owned by the firm 20,000 Money owed by the firm to its creditors 3,000 Stock owned by the firm 8,500 Loan received by the firm from a bank 100 The firm's capital at that date is: A. Â £25,400 B. Â £25,600 C. Â £31,400 D. Â £31,600 ... Lists all of the entries in its double-entry accounting records. Is a list of all of the balances brought down in its double-entry accounting records. Question 9 If a sole trader's capital at the beginning of a year was 100,000 and his net profit for the year was 20,000, his capital at the end of the year...... Question 9 answers Cannot be determined from the information given. was 80,000 Was 100,000 Was 120,000 Question 10 A balance sheet is....... Question 10 answers A ledger account, proving that the accounting records 'balance'. A statement showing the market value of firm. A listing, in a particular format, of the balances brought down remaining in the double-entry accounts after the profit and loss account has been prepared. A statement showing the market value of assets and liabilites. Question 11 The following information relates to a sole trader. Total of all assets at 1 June 2,300 Total of all liabilities at 1 June 2,500 Net profit earned during June 1,000 Drawings during June 700 Capital introduced during June 5,000 The sole trader's capital at 30 June was: Question 11 answers 5,100 5,300 5,500 5,600 Question 12 The correct heading for the balance sheet of J. Burton at the end of December 2006 is 'Balance sheet of J. Burton........ Question 12 answers for the period ended 31 December 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2006 as at 31 December 2006 as at 31 December 2005 Question 13 Which

Pick any Business Law Case and write a 4 Page paper including a Work Essay

Pick any Business Law Case and write a 4 Page paper including a Work Cited Page - Essay Example The facts of the case were simple, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc, a Delaware corporation possessing 97% interest on Belterra Resort Indiana, transferred the title and possession of a riverboat to Belterra Resort Indiana. Pinnacle acquired the remaining 3% interest on Belterra in August of 2001. The Indiana Departments of Revenue conducted an audit of sales tax and use tax of Belterra in 2002 and proclaimed in its assessment that Belterra owed tax amounting to $1,869,783 plus interest and penalty, for acquisition of the riverboat. Belterra protested against the assessment of the Department and the Department after hearing the matter, issued a letter of findings denying the letter of protest. Belterra filed an appeal with the Indiana Tax Court. Both the parties filed for summary motion. The court in Belterra Resort Ind, LLC v. Ind. Dep’t of State Revenue, 900 N.E. 2d 513, 517 granted Belterra’s motion for summary judgment and reasoned that Belterra was not liable for use tax on its acquisition of the river boat due to the fact that the transaction was a contribution to the capital and not the result of a retail transaction (â€Å"Indiana Department of Revenue†). The Revenue Department was not satisfied with this judgment and this led to the case in hand, which was filed in the Supreme Court of Indiana. The problems which the Supreme Court had to sort out before moving with the case were numerous. Firstly, reaching a conclusion that whether the transfer of the river boat from the parent company (Pinnacle) to its subsidiary company (Belterra) was a â€Å"retail transaction† under the Indiana code section 6-2.5-3-2(a), as because the use tax can be imposed on Belterra for the riverboat only when it was acquired under retail transaction (Indiana Department of Revenue v. Belterra Resort). Secondly, the court had to determine whether the riverboat was obtained with or without consideration. Belterra argued that when no consideration was given f or the riverboat, the transaction was not a retail transaction, as  § 6-2.5-4-1(b)(2) states, â€Å"[a] person is engaged in selling retail when†¦he†¦ transfers that property to another person for consideration† (Indiana Department of Revenue v. Belterra Resort ). Thirdly, in the instant case the other critical legal issue was to find out, whether capital contribution by itself meant transfer of property without consideration. Belterra cited Grand Victoria Casino & Resort, LP v. Ind. Department of State Revenue, 789 N.E.2d 1041 to support his contention that capital contribution without consideration gave exemption from taxes (Rucker 827). Fourthly, the court had to determine whether there was exchange of some form of consideration other than cash in between Pinnacle and Belterra. The problem was to get an answer to the questions that â€Å"Was there any other benefit inuring to Pinnacle?† or â€Å"Was there some detriment borne by Belterra?† (Rucker 828). Fifthly, the court had to determine whether the presence of consideration in a transaction is enough to make it a retail sale. Justice Boehm states, â€Å"‘consideration’ is a necessary but not a sufficient condition to render a transaction ‘Selling at retail’† (Rucker 829). This however was contradictory to what Justice Rucker opined before. In the former context it was stated that when capital contribut

Sexual Sadism And Sex Offenders Psychology Essay

Sexual Sadism And Sex Offenders Psychology Essay Sexual Sadism is a type of paraphilia that may involve making a person suffer in some way that may or may not lead to death. It varies from extreme forms of torture to mild. It can be with a consensual partner who is a masochist and also the injuring of a non consensual person. Sexual sadists usually have mental disorders such as psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder which can explain their level of violence and their lack of empathy for their victims. Many sex offenders are diagnosed with Paraphilias and sexual disorders. Paraphilias are recurrent intense sexual arousing fantasies or urges involving nonhuman objects, suffering, humiliation of oneself or ones partner, children or non consenting persons (APA, 1994). For some people these fantasies are necessary to achieve erotic arousal whereas for others they are episodic and the individual can be stimulated otherwise. This type of behavior, urges and fantasies can cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other areas of functioning. It has to last over a period of at least six months (APA, 1994) .One of the most dangerous paraphilias is sexual sadism, which involves violence that may lead to death in which the offender gets sexual pleasure by inflicting pain on the victim. According to the DSM IV, sexual sadism is the act of humiliating, binding, beating, or making another person suffer in some way were sexual excitement is the result of control over the victim. It typically develops in adolescence with interests coming from masochistic masturbatory practices. Autoerotic asphyxia is a practice that constricts the oxygen during masturbation, accomplished with the use of a strangulation device. The purpose is to create a higher level of sexual excitement through the restriction of oxygen in the brain (Terry, 2006). The restriction of oxygen itself its not whats sexual exciting but its the combination of the behavior, lack of oxygen, danger and the fantasy. Sexual sadists are aroused by the torture and pain of the victim which can lead to death, but there offenders do not derive satisfaction from the murder itself. They are likely to mutilate and torture their victims becoming more aroused as there is an increase in the level of agony. Sexual sadism is usually not consensual and involves injury or death to the victim. The element of fear in the victim and complete control of the victim is the major stimuli in sexual sadism. Such as severe beating, torture, burning, cutting, rape and murder. Sexual offenders who are potentially most likely to meet the criteria of sexual sadism are typically those who sexually assault or who molest children. Some of the characteristics for sexual offenders are usually, schizoid, psychopath, antisocial, narcissist, lack or social skills and relationships. Sadists have been found to exhibit a large number of other paraphilias including transvestic fetishism, masochism, voyeurism, and exhibitionism. Some have alcohol and drug abuse, obsession traits, collects pornography, a history of impaired social relationships, physical and sexual abuse in childhood and extensive fantasy lives incorporating detailed sadistic fantasies (Kirch). Sex offenders who are sadistic usually lack empathy and emotion which might be a reason why they commit the most violence to their victims because they detach themselves. Deficits in empathy facilitate offending behavior, suggesting that offenders lack of awareness or sensitivity to other peoples feelings may impair their ability to appreciate the effects of their behavior on others (Kirsch). Emotions such as anger and shame are believed to fuel aggressive and retributive fantasies, and these fantasies are maintained and enhanced through the process of positive and negative emotional reinforcement. Feelings of inferiority are believed to be reduced during fantasy, while feelings of control, power, and dominance are enhanced. Sexual sadism may begin with fantasies and in some cases these may never be acted upon or be acted out in the more mild forms of consensual relationships. Sadistic fantasies and behaviors can include dominance, humiliation, bondage, biting, burning, whipping, penetration with foreign objects, strangulation, and mutilation of the body (Kirsch) Sadistic sexual fantasies are noted in certain adolescents. In some of these the fantasies serves rehearsal for future sadistic sexual acts, especially in adolescents with callous-unemotional personality who often emerge in adult life as psychopaths(Stone, 2010) . There is a difference in practicing sadism with a consenting partner and non consenting partner. In non-consensual cases, the behavior usually continues and often escalates over time as the perpetrator experiences a need for increased violence in order to stimulate the sexual response. The level of sadism varies from being in control, dominant and submissive in which the offender does this to a masochist person to injuring a non consensual partner. Sexual sadism is found predominately in males and usually onsets with puberty although sadistic behavior may be evident earlier in children. In all male cases, it becomes evident by early adulthood. In cases of female sexual sadism, onset is often later and often triggered by relationships with men who want to be d ominated. Kraft-Ebbing suggested that mastering and possessing an absolutely defenceless human object is part of sadism. He sub- classified sexual sadism into several categories including lust murder where there was a connection between sexual arousal and killing which may extend to cannibalism. These men are thought to rarely derive sexual satisfaction from the assault or murder and this distinguishes them from lust murderers for whom aggression and sexuality become fused into a single psychological experience sadism in which aggression is eroticized (Myers, W.C., Burgess, A.W., Burgess, A.G. and Douglas, J.E., 1999. Serial murder and sexual homicide. In: Van Hasselt, V. and Hersen, M., Editors, 1999. Handbook of psychological approaches with violent offenders, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, pp. 153-172.Marshall,2003)Then theres the offender who mutilates the corpses, those who like to injure females, defilement of women, symbolic sadism, ideal sadism or sadistic fantasies alone without acts, sadism with other objects and sadistic acts with animals. MaccCulloch argues that the wish to control that is the primary motivating force in sadism, and because there is a range of degrees and kinds of control which can be applied by one person to another, sadism may manifest itself in a variety of ways. Normal sexual relationships include elements of dominance and submission, and hence control: indeed, modern manuals of sexual behavior often include bondage games as part of a suggested repertoire of sexual activity He defines sadism as the repeated practice of behavior and fantasy which is characterized by a wish to control another person by domination, denigration or inflicting pain, for the purpose of producing mental pleasure and sexual arousal whether or not accompanied by orgasm in the sadist. The range of controlling behavior under consideration forms a continuum from subtle verbal control through various types of psychological control to actual physical intervention such as bondage, imprisonment, hypnosis, anesthesia and even blows to render the victim unconscious or dead. As sadistic behavior gives pleasure to the sadist, and self-pleasuring behavior almost always has to be contrived, it would be expected that sadists devise situations which enable them to practice their sadism. If a central feature of sadism is control, then sadists would be expected to seek out actively and create situations where they have control. The concept that assailants stage-manage their control over others in order to give themselves pleasure provides a new frame of reference (Kuhne, 1962) Among sexual sadists ritualistic behaviors are one of the defining features. Not all the men violate the letter of the law, however much they may violate the spirit of the law. Some seek, and manage to achieve, attachment to willing partners (Stone, 2010). Researchers Janet Warren and Roy Hazelwood interviewed female partners of sexual sadists. Seven of the 20 sexual sadists with whom these women had affiliated had also murdered some of their victims .The relationships with these women were consensual, at least in the early phases; women had histories of having gone through physical abuse from a parent, or nine of the women were victims of incest by a father, brother, or even a female relative. These experiences these women experienced at an early age from their care takers allowed them to somehow expect, tolerate, and in some instances, even desire sadistic treatment at the hands of their sexual partners. The sexual sadists themselves initiated their partners into sadistic practices through a series of stages. In the candy and flowers stage, the man would win a woman with gifts, be a gentle man and be tender towards her, but then progress to a stage in which he expanded her sexual repertoire well beyond, and alien to, her prior experience. This might take such forms as forced anal sex, bondage, urinating on the woman, measured choking with release before unconsciousness occurred, etc. The mans quest for domination and total control might proceed to cutting the woman off from relatives and friends, such that she were now his sexual slave. If she were lucky, the pattern would progress no further. But in some cases, the drama would end in her death. Those sexual sadists who maintained ongoing relationships with a wife or girlfriend might lead a kind of double life, in which they exacted pain and suffering of a controlled sort with their partners, but also had a secret life in which they trolled for other women whom they tortured and murdered. In a number of examp les, the female partners were forced into becoming the inadvertent accomplices of sexually sadistic torture murder of other women. Some of these women, having been compliant in the beginning, desperately wanted out of the relationship toward the end but they were routinely threatened with torture and death themselves if they dared to exercise that option. Robert Anderson is an example of a sexual sadist who abducted Piper Streyle and ended up killing her. Her husband Vance Streyle remembered him coming to their trailer days before his wifes abduction to inquire about enrolling his kids into bible camp for the children. Several witnesses had seen Robert parked around the Streyles trailer in his black truck. When interviewed by the investigators he denied knowing anything about Pipers abduction or her whereabouts. It wasnt until the investigators got a search warrant to search his car and home. When investigators searched his car they found a wooden platform that had holes drilled into it. It was believed that it was made as a restraining device in which a persons ankles and hands could be tied to metal hoops that were strategically inserted into the board. The investigative team also found hairs attached to the wooden platform, which genetically matched pipers. More gruesome physical evidence was discovered around the river, which included several lengths of rope and chains, eyebolts, a vibrator and a half burned candle. It was believed that these items were used to torture Piper. According to investigators Hazelwood and Michaud, there was sufficient proof that Anderson was a sexual sadist who was excited by the physical and psychological suffering and helplessness of his victim. Their opinion was based on four factors one of them being that Anderson displayed an obvious interest in sexual bondage, a hallmark of the sexual sadist, which was represented by the restraints, d ildo, partially burnt candle, eyebolts, handcuff , keys, duct tape and plywood platform. The evidence found by investigators clearly indicated physical torture. It was surmised that after Piper was abducted, Anderson drove her to a wooded area near Baltic. While there he may have bound her to the platform, gagged her with duct tape, sheared her shirt off and then methodically tortured her with the dildo and candle before raping her. It is believed that he then murdered Piper and disposed of her body. Anderson admitted to police and friends that he liked anal sex, a preference his wife did not share. Research conducted by Hazelwood and Michaud found that sexual sadists prefer this form of sex. They believed that the dildo was used by Anderson to act out his fantasy. Conclusion Reference Page Stone ,M.H.(2010). Sexual Sadism: A portrait of Evil. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis Dynamic Psychiatry, Vol 38, 133-157 Kirsch,L.G, Becker,J.V .(2007). Emotional Deficits in psychopathy and sexual sadism: Implications for violent and sadistic behavior. Clinical psychology review. Vol 27, 904-922 Marshall,W.L, Kennedy,P.(2003).Sexual sadism in sexual offenders: An illusive diagnosis. Agression and violent behavior, Vol 8, 1-22 MacCulloch,M.J et al (1983). Sadistic Fantasy, Sadistic Behavior and Offending. Brit . J. Psychiat, 143, 20-29 Rachel,B .(2003) Robert Anderson: Awakening The Devil.Retrieved May 2,2010 from trutv website: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/robert_anderson/8.html Terry, K.J. (2006) Sexual Offenses and Offenders: Theory, Practice, and Policy. Pgs 84-91

Educators Must Make Learning Enjoyable :: Teaching Education Admissions Essays

Educators Must Make Learning Enjoyable As educators we wish to have the students gain knowledge, through our efforts, and continue to expand their minds using the basics we have taught them. In an era when so many outside interests often cloud the minds of our impressionable youth, we often wonder how we can accomplish this task. Our society has become increasingly chaotic in comparison to how it was in my fathers time. With an increase in violence, commercialism, and two working parents, children today don't have the same structure in their lives as they did in earlier times. This lack of structure, viewed as independence, places the child in a role more similar to that of an adult. There is an expectation that our children will function as child and the guardian at the same time. Children arrive home and frequently no one is there to greet them or remind them of their responsibilities as a student. Many parents have little or no involvement at all with their children's education at all. According to Rousseau, not being involved or staying passive until the child wants to learn an idea, is the correct method. I hate to say that we need to force a student to learn, but not everyone is self motivated. A student does need to have some control, but the control needs to be structured. Parents need to be invo lved. Study habits are not developed just at school, they are also developed at home, with the parent supervising the activity. The parent need to allot time periods where the student, or hopefully the student and the parent can sit down and develop thinking skills and communicate their ideas to one another. By teaching children the value of stimulating their minds all the time, not just at school, they will appreciate the knowledge they have gained and will be more alert when learning new ideas. As an educator we need to find ways to make concepts interesting to our students. Think about the instructor who stands in front of the classroom and scribbles on the board, completely oblivious to the students sitting in the classroom. The bright students may still do well under these conditions, but the other students often become bored. Is it the responsibility of the students to pay attention to the instructor or is it the responsibility of the instructor to pay attention to the class?

Florida State and the Future of Gay Adoption Essay -- Journalism Journ

Florida state law currently bans lesbians and gay men from adopting children. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is attempting to get a case before the Supreme Court that could overturn the law. The ban on gay adoption has been in place since 1977, when the state legislature almost unanimously condoned restriction of the rights of its gay citizens. Legislation on the issue was sparked by Anita Bryant's "Save Our Children" campaign, which raged through Florida and even beyond spreading myths about homosexuality and linking homosexuality to pedophilia. At the time of its inception, Senator Curtis Peterson, one of its primary supporters, spoke to the law's true purpose: "The problem in Florida has been that homosexuals are surfacing to such an extent that they're beginning to aggravate the ordinary folks. We're trying to send them a message, telling them:  ¡Ã‚ ®We're really tired of you. We wish you'd go back into the closet" (1). The state's attitude, while becoming more equally divided on the issue, has not changed significantly enough to overturn the law. An appeal was made to a three-person appeals panel, which upheld the law. A request for reconsideration of the decision made to the federal Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which encompasses the geographic area of Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, was denied. This denial has allowed the ACLU to bring the case before the Supreme Court for consideration. Perhaps most indicative of the law's blatantly homophobic basis is the fact that the state has no restrictions on using gays and lesbians to relieve the burden on the foster care system. The state frequently uses gay couples to provide homes for disabled and terminally ill children, but refuses to recognize that thi... ...ion, it will shape the framework in which we discuss the issue of gay adoption. This is true. We must recognize the fearful power of one to appoint these decision makers without a sufficiently balanced congress- it is the ability to embody political rhetoric within a judicial structure. Rhetoric itself may and does sway public opinion, but its embodiment is the ability to set precedents which may be applied in broad-sweeping generalities, rather than the specifics of a single law. Internet Sources: 1)ACLU, Background information on the specific case in Florida. 2)Let Him Stay, Specifically devoted to the Croteau-Lofton case giving detailed information on the family, laws and legislation affecting the case. 3)Human Rights Campaign, State-by-state information on both current and pending legislation on a wide range of issues affecting the LGBT community.

Kfc in China Essay

Is Tony Wang correct in assuming that China is an ideal market for KFC? Should KFC be pursuing the Chinese market at the present time? Considering China as a strategic location was based from a SWOT analysis. Availability of Supply (Strength) There is ready access of quality poultry in the major metropolitan areas such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. Poultry industry is one of the top priority categories in China’s agriculture modernization and it is highly encourage by the government. Thus, the company can ensure a reliable supply of high quality chicken. Low Competitive Pressure (Strength) Potential competitors such as MacDonald’s face major barriers to enter the China market due to poor beef supply while KFC, aside from availability of high quality chicken supply, has the clear advantage since its main product-chicken- is eaten almost everywhere in the world. Furthermore, chicken is already familiar in China and even much cheaper. Company’s Control Measures (Strength) KFC s control mechanisms are designed to ensure standard levels of quality, service and cleanliness (QSC) at all of the restaurant’s chain stores. This fits the positive image in Asia of American fast food restaurants as famous, air-conditioned, and hygienic. Product Consumption (Strength) Chicken has long been regarded as a kind of nutritious food, which is especially good for the patients, the elders and children. An increase in health conscious consumers also raises the consumption of chicken. Moreover, chicken is a more popular meal than hamburgers in most Asian countries and KFC has the opportunity to offer an American style experience that is different from most other food establishments. Drawing Area (Opportunity) In late 1978, China began implementing economic reforms to modernize its economy by lessening the government’s control of the economy. This reform referred as a socialist market economy boosted the national wealth and the consequent increase in individual’s income has led to steady changes in Chinese consumer patterns prevalent in pre-Mao era. As the world’s most populous nation with over 1 billion inhabitants, the potential size and growth for KFC makes the Chinese market very attractive. Not to mention, the possibility of establishing the first Western style fast-food operation in China as a historic opportunity for the company. Scarce Human Resources (Weakness) Managerial resources are precious because of the scarcity of Chinese-speaking KFC managers. There are also possible conflicts between KFC-appointed managers and local employees. Lack of Local connections (Weakness) Pioneering in the fast-food field would find KFC very difficult to form local and personal networks between businesses and government agencies, which are crucial in providing access to the local market and domestic suppliers and eventually, to the company’s success. Entering into a relatively unknown market, KFC, as a new entrant will have to get in touch with the local business customs and laws as well as with knowledge of culture and language. Quality of Government (Threat) A communist government with strict foreign investment laws rules China. Setting up here requires heavy investment expenses and high levels of resource commitment. The risk of domestication measures may be imposed by the host government, often leading to major financial losses for the foreign investor. Overcoming Threats and Weaknesses KFC has three options of entering the China market thru, namely: Franchising, Wholly owned subsidiary and Joint venture. The traditional franchising strategy, in markets where political risk and cultural unfamiliarity exists, certainly would reduce financial risks. However, KFC had already encountered problems in the past with the aligning of corporate planning with the franchisee’s short-term focus on profitability. In addition, KFC will be pioneering in the fast-food service and thus needs to be highly sensitive to cultural demands. In such case, franchising is not feasible. On the other hand, a wholly owned subsidiary would rely upon total control over competitive advantages and ensures complete operational and strategic control. It also involves high financial risk and little country-level flexibility and responsiveness. This option is not recommended. Entering into a joint venture is highly recommended. Such an international business strategy will attempt to solve many logistics problems such as access to good quality chicken and other supplies, ease the access to Chinese market, share risk with a local entity, utilize ways to cut bureaucratic red-tape and finally, serve as a sign of commitment to the host government increasing goodwill. In addition, due to the complexity of many barriers to entry into China, a potential partner with sufficient contacts or networks with the government officials may smoothen the process of setting-up operations in the country. The potential joint-venture partner should be large, well established, provide excellent distribution channels and have personal network access to government officials. It is recommended that a partner be found by backward integration- that is, a good domestic supplier of poultry. In order to ensure total commitment, the set-up of the joint venture should be with KFC as the dominant partner. This way, cost, quality and strategic control measures are maintained. By building on each partner’s core competencies, knowledge, and efficiencies, a mutually beneficial synergy effect could be achieved as a result of joint venture activities. For instance, the local partner can learn from KFC how to produce a better product at a lower cost and further expand on its new competitive positioning. KFC, on the other hand, can maintain quality supply, which is critical to its success. RECOMMENDATION: The Chinese market represents a great opportunity for KFC where Tony Wang is correct in his assumptions. By finding an appropriate domestic business partner via backward integration, it is possible to further build on opportunities and significantly reduce risk throughout financial sharing, cultural sensitivity and favorable treatment from the host government. KFC should start pursuing this strategy at the present time and develop a coherent international strategy linking the China operations with the other markets. Which of the three cities being investigated should the company choose if it decides to enter China? The capital city, Beijing, is recommended as the preferred location for KFC’s entry into the Chinese market. Beijing is the center for most political activities and provides the necessary access to government agencies and business regulatory bodies. Also, it has a large population of nearly 9 million inhabitants. The numerous universities located in the city contributes to more affluent and educated people that may make them more open to foreign ideas including Western fast-food. More importantly, plenty of Western tourists are attracted to Beijing’s many tourist attractions, increasing the potential for generating foreign currency sales. Furthermore, supplies of poultry are readily available. Beijing can serve as the initial platform of KFC’s operations and later expand into other potential areas such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. One or two initial outlets should be set-up to get an insight of how KFC will be perceived in the Chinese capital. Both dine-in and take-out facilities much in line with most KFC’s international operations ought to be offered in large, clean and well-serviced outlets to cater for the customers with above-average disposable incomes. In order to serve large numbers of customers due to the sheer size of the population, the right cultural fit of the business restaurants must be highly functional and effective. Special menu-substitutions may also have to be facilitated to cater to consumers taste for traditional Chinese meals. Lessons Learned Capitalizing on Strengths and Opportunities In the initial period of KFC’s entry into China market, few of Chinese onsumers were really impressed with the food itself since the country is known to have the best culinary culture in the world. Instead, they were more fascinated with the eating experience: the encounter with friendly employees, quick service, spotless floors climate-controlled and brightly-lit dining areas, and smiling Colonel Sanders standing in front of the main gate. Having experienced the initial surprises brought by a never-seen western lifestyle, Chinese consumers have gradually calmed down and their consumption attitudes towards foreign products are getting more reasonable. Since Chinese people are more concerned with the nutrition and tastes of the fast food, KFC taken advantage of McDonald’s. By offering poultry food that is more acceptable to Chinese people compared with beef, have taken consumers needs and competition with other brands into account. Knowing the market The most prominent success of KFC in China is not only the outcome of KFC’s persistent tenets â€Å"quality, service and cleanliness† but also the achievements of its keen perception of cross-cultural marketing and its understanding of Chinese culture. Based on its scrutiny and adoption of Chinese traditional culinary arts, KFC has developed a series of products that are specially designed for the tastes of Chinese consumers. Moreover, in purpose of maintaining its image of a U. S. brand and keeping consistent with its globalization strategy, most of KFC s Chinese side dishes are defined as short-term products and would be replaced by new products. KFC’s product strategies are categorized into two aspects: 1)To meet consumers desire for novelty by introducing western style products like Mexican Chicken Warp and New Orleans Barbeque Wings. This means can satisfy young consumers who are more open and acceptable to the foreign flavors. 2)To cater to consumers taste for traditional Chinese meal by offering Chinese style fast food from time to time, say, Old Beijing Chicken Roll, a wrap modeled after the way Peking duck is served, but with fried chicken inside and accompanied with green onions and hoi sin sauce, and Sichuan Spicy Chicken which absorbs the spicy flavor of Sichuan dish. This measure can attract older consumers who are fond of Chinese food and in need of the convenience of fast food service as well.